A Piece of Light
by Padfootkicksbutt
Summary: What if Anakin Skywalker met Han Solo? Here's how it would have happened. Set just before Anakin becomes Darth Vader, here is the story of how Han becomes a pilot.


A/N: This is just a little idea that popped into my head the other day, so I decided to write it. (Sorry everyone who is waiting for me to update my other stuff, I had technical difficulties :( the good news is that I am planning on updating soon :) )

Anakin Skywalker was walking quickly towards his ship. He had just finished a mission on Corellia, and was anxious to get back to Padmé. Now that his baby's birth was approaching, Anakin was loath to leave Coruscant. He was walking through the spaceport, and had almost reached his fighter, when he heard a small scuffle from a side alley. Despite wanting to get back to Padmé as soon as possible, Anakin was still a Jedi, and couldn't ignore someone in need of help. Looking into the alley, Anakin saw a young boy, maybe nine years old, struggling against a larger man.

"I'm sorry!" the boy sobbed, "I won't do it again Master Shrike! I promise!" In the boy's fearful eyes, Anakin saw himself as a boy. When he was a slave, it was not uncommon for slaves to be treated with such cruelty. However, Anakin had escaped when he was nine, and it didn't look like anybody would be helping this boy.

"Shuddup, boy," the man growled as he raised his hand to strike the boy. This sealed it for Anakin; he reached down, grabbed his lightsaber, and had it at the man's throat before his hand fell. The man looked up fearful, and saw an angry Jedi staring at him. The man instinctually cringed back, and loosened his grip on the boy. The boy took this advantage, and ripped his arm from the man's back, and moved behind Anakin.

"Slavery and child abuse are outlawed in the Republic," Anakin stated with a deadly quiet voice, and the man winced. "Now go, before I decide that it is a mistake to allow a piece of scum like you to live," Anakin continued in his scarily calm and quiet voice. The man turned and ran as fast as he could, it was obvious Anakin didn't like him, and no one messed with Jedi. Once he was satisfied the man was gone, Anakin turned off his lightsaber, and knelt to look the boy in the eyes, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine mister," the boy replied, looking nothing like the cowering boy he had appeared, and looking more like a strong youth, "Thank you for helping me," the boy looked at the ground in embarrassment.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about," Anakin reassured him, "I know that there was nothing that you could have done, you only wanted to survive." The boy looked up, startled that Anakin would know anything about what he was feeling.

"How would you know?" the boy asked in a partially curious, but mostly doubtful voice, "You never had to live on the streets." The last sentence was colored with bitterness.

"I was a slave," the boy looked up, completely shocked. Anakin was also shocked, almost nobody knew his past, and he certainly didn't make a habit of telling people he had known for minutes. However, for some reason it felt right to tell this boy about his former life.

"But," the boy protested, "You're a _Jedi_. They don't have bad things happen to them." The boy looked as though someone had told him Santa Claus wasn't real, and Anakin gave a kind smile.

"That is incorrect. Now, what is your name?" Anakin realized that neither of them had introduced themselves.

"Han Solo," the boy held his hand out for Anakin to shake.

"Anakin Skywalker," Anakin replied, and shook his hand. "Now," he continued, "What do you want to do? I can drop you off at an orphanage," Anakin saw the fear in Han's eyes, and wondered about the reason for it.

"No!" Han shouted, "Don't take me to the orphanage, please," Han began pleading, and much to his disgust, he could feel tears gathering in his eyes, "I don't want to go back to an orphanage. Take me anywhere, just not there."

"Very well," Anakin made a quick decision, and stood, "What do you know about spaceships?"

"As much as I could learn," Anakin saw the same excitement he had exuded towards spaceships in Han's eyes, "I've always wanted to fly my own spaceship, but Master Shrike only allowed me to fix his ships and other mechanical things when no one else could."

"Are you a good mechanic?" Anakin asked as they began to walk out of the alley. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Han's chest puff out.

"I'm the best he had," Han stated, obviously proud of his accomplishments.

"How would you like to become an apprentice mechanic on a freighter?" Anakin asked as they walked past a docking bay where an argument was taking place.

"No," a medium height male with black hair said to a younger male, "I can't keep making exceptions for you, Jay," the man said in a firm voice, "I may pity you, but I won't sacrifice my crews lives for your incompetence as a mechanic," the man took out a small pouch, and tossed it to the younger man, "Here, take your pay, and get a job better suited for you. Goodbye, Jay," saying that, the man turned, and began to inspect his ship. The man called Jay looked at the money in his hand, and walked out of the docking bay. Squeezing Han's shoulder, Anakin walked into the docking bay.

"Excuse me," Anakin said in a voice his master would have been proud of, "Are you in need to a mechanic?" The man turned around, and looked at Anakin.

"Do you want the job?" he asked, but looked doubtful and confused as to why a man that looked like a Jedi would be interested in being a mechanic.

"Not for me," Anakin said, "For Han." The man turned slightly disbelieving eyes to the young boy standing in front of Anakin.

"I don't have time to train a mechanic," the man said, and began to turn away.

"You wouldn't need to train him, he is already a good mechanic, and a quick learner," the man stopped and considered the offer.

"What's in it for me?" he asked.

"You get a good mechanic," Anakin replied.

"Why do you want me to do this?" the man replied, somewhat dubious as to their intentions.

"Han gets a job, and gets to go on a spaceship, like he wants to," Anakin replied without missing a beat.

"And you?" the man asked, as he turned to face them, "Why don't you take him with you?"

"I am unable to do so," Anakin replied.

"Occupational hazard?" the man smirked, and Anakin inclined his head.

"You could say that."

"Alright," the man said, "I'll take him. And you'd better not be lying to me about his skills as a mechanic. By the way, my names Talon Karrde (how old is he? Cards if he's too young), by the way."

"Thank you, Mister Karrde," Anakin knelt down to look at Han, "Now you'll get to fly all around the galaxy, and someday you may even get your own ship," Anakin and Han shared a warm smile, before Han threw himself at Anakin in a hug.

"Thank you, Ani," Anakin stiffened when he heard Padmé and his mother's name for him, but he realized that it was instinct that caused the boy to shorten his name, "I won't forget how nice you are. When I'm older, and have my own ship, I'll help you out whenever you need it." Anakin smiled at the childlike proclamation.

"Your welcome, Han," Anakin stood, "Now go, the galaxy is waiting for you," Han turned, and ran towards the ship, but he turned back and waved. Smiling, and waving back, Anakin said, "May the Force be with you." That was the first and last time Han Solo met Anakin Skywalker before he became Darth Vader, and it was that small kindness that led to the drastic changes in Han's life, and that small moment of innocence that Anakin remembered for years, even after he became Darth Vader, and it helped him to survive Padmé's death and betrayal.

A/N: If anyone wants me to write anything else that includes this encounter, let me know!


End file.
